Christmas!

[Baby Bethany]

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat! (So am I, but that's another story!!) It's only a few weeks away isn't it? The season when we like to eat, drink, and watch movies we never watch any other time of the year.......oh, I can't wait!!!

I think I should mention that this thread is for my good friend Storey, who loves Christmas sooo much that she still stands in line at her local store every year, just to sit on Santa's knee. Last year he told her she's getting too old for all of this, and hurting his leg......but she won't stop, the girl loves Christmas!!

Anyway, this post is about what Christmas means to you. And in the finest Dickension tradition it's about Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet To Come.

Christmas Past

This could be a memory of Christmas, a family tradition, a certain toy you remember, anything!

Christmas Present

What do you have planned for this Christmas? What are you most looking forward to?

Christmas Yet To Come

What would you most like to do for a future Christmas?

Beth

[Curiosity]

Its about a month away. I am so looking forward to seeing the repeats on the Television again like every year.

We are going to Scotland where I was born oh so many years ago. We will be having a whole family get toghether.

Christmas is a time for sharing and giving and not just want this and want that.

People tend to see christmas as the presents but forget the real reason of christmas.

Bethany you write the most beautiful posts here than anyone else I have seen.

And for Storey, well you tell her that she is never to old for christmas, I still get excited and I'm older than dirt.

But to answer your questions, If I may....

Christmas Past

Christmas with my mother and father. How I miss them

Christmas Present

Well as I said before we are going back to scotland where I was born and meeting up and having christmas toghether. We wanted to do this last year but my husband was to ill to travel.

Christmas Yet To Come

Whos to say I will get to see next christmas but lets hope its a good one. Id love to share my love and christmas joy with those that matters. My friends here

[PampersPete]

I hate the holidays! All I'm doing for Turkey Day,Xmas Day & New Year's Day is work/get drunk/enjoy hangover

[BriGuy]

I hate the holidays! All I'm doing for Turkey Day,Xmas Day & New Year's Day is work/get drunk/enjoy hangover

Scrooge! (want a drinking partner?) Blah.

Christmas Past.

Spending time with my family when things were good.

Christmas present.

making it through the holidays, this year is especially tense.

Christmas Future.

Hopefully next year will be my first Christmas as a father as my wife and I are trying for a family.

[Repaid1]

I hate the holidays! All I'm doing for Turkey Day,Xmas Day & New Year's Day is work/get drunk/enjoy hangover

I have my new family.. I spent $100 at the store to make them happy (one damn meal..no steak).. But I'm with you.. Drunk to forget..too stupid to know what I have. Still miss my old family.. still as I said to remember.. what I have now.. Drunk is best..sleep the hangover off.. Then live the next day..one day at a time... Everyone at least have a very happy (whichever) holiday..see ya all soon!

Hey Pampers..Damn Your at least going to Vegas.. Cheers...

[Sophie ♥]

To be honest, I am not a fan of the holidays. As I got older it just gets worse and worse... the world doesn't make Christmas as adult friendly anymore. Perhaps that's just because i'm "in the middle" sort of thing... no work or friend Christmas parties just yet but getting up at 8AM to open a gift doesn't seem logical.

Onward...

Past Christmas...

I have to admit, last years was very good (i was 17 at the time.) My family allowed Mommy to come over the morning of to open gifts and some people here even got her a present. It was very, very cute. I think it was just the idea that I got to spend this day with her is what made it better. Being around my family for too long gets irritating. I am glad I had a scapegoat, a wonderful one at that.

Present Christmas...

I don't anticpiate more than three or four gifts for myself this year. The economy is sucky, one of my parents is laid off, and we have a wedding to save up for (step-sister). This year will probably not be very good either, but I am sure I will get through it. Talk about Mommy coming again hasn't surfaced, but it might happen. Tragically, we seem to be fighting every day now... so maybe Christmas with her wont be a good thing. I dont know... I'd much perfer the old Christmas I used to have... hence my future.

Future Christmas...

I think I will completely alter this whole "future" thing by going back in time. For my future Christmas, hopefully next year when/if Mommy and I have our own place... I am going to have the traditional little kid Christmas. I have very little baby toys right now, so perhaps she could get a ton of cheap baby toys and wrap them up for me. I can waddle downstairs at 8AM in a sleeper and diaper, wake her up super early all excited. I would sit there and open up all my gifts and talk in a baby voice and forget any worries I had. She would smile and take pictures and probably scrapbook it as "Baby's first Christmas"... and I would give her a small handmade trinket just like a little kid. Of course she would have more presents than my trinket, but I would probably give them to her at midnight (if I am allowed to stay up that late) as not to act too grown up the next day. Then she could dress me up all cute and we could stay inside and watch Christmas specials and have a fancy dinner with just the two of us. She could let me stay up late and sleep with her in her bed.

A year seems a long way away...

-Sophie

[storey]

Okay so I absolutely LOVE Christmas!!!!!

Christmas to me isn't about the presents, but time I get to spend with family. I have gone several christmas' in a row as a kid where my parent's would not speak to each other and except for that one day be in the same room together. I have gone many Christmas' after that where my dad (sole provider) had recently been laid off. Financially right now my husband and I are extremely tight on money as we were the last 2 years, but we still give each parent and brothersister one gift. It might not be much, but to see them get something they really like (especially our younger siblings!) and their faces light up, it's really nice. But as I said, it's not about that, it's about the time I get to spend with my family. With neither one of my parent's in great health right now I don't know how many more Christmas' I will get to spend with them so I can do nothing less than enjoy the times I get to spend with them now.

Christmas Past

I remember as a kid one Christmas my brother came running into my room to tell me that Santa had come. It was probably my second Christmas where I really understood it. I was so excited! We went running down the hall to sneak a peak at the presents. Then later that morning when we got to open them up I looked at the plate of cookies and carrots we left for Santa and his reindeer and I saw something so extroidenary: a personal note from Santa himself!! Somewhere, to this day, I still have those notes from the holidays when Santa wrote me personally.

Christmas Present

As I have grown older, and especially now I have a son, Christmas morning after Santa has come has been all about the kids. It's so wonderful to see them light up and be so excited. It's not the same as when we were kids, but the fact that I now get to be "Santa" is such a joy! So this year I can't wait for my son to open up a few presents from Santa and just want to start playing with his new toys and books!

Christmas Future

Someday in the future I hope that both my husband and myself have other jobs other than working retail. Not that I don't love what I do, I just would rather have a little better income than what a retail job can provide for us at the moment. And with this, I wish to really give back to others. I want to give to my parent's who watch my son 4-5 days a week for free, who have always bent over backwards for both my brother and me. They have had it rough and they deserve to have something nice given back to them. I'd love to be able to give more to Make-a-wish so they have the funding to grant more children's wishes. At that age, that's all they live on is their dreams that unfortunately might never come true. If I could donate enough to grant even one child's wish, what a gift that would be. Tis the season for giving!

[curiositykilledthecat]

christmas past

hmm there's a few golden moments.

1.) my grandfather standing up and farting in my face

2.) As a small child asking my aunt why she hates my grandmother(the joys of childlike innocence)

3.) Getting my nintendo 64

Christmas present

I look forward to enjoying watching 24 hours of christmas story

Christmas future

Getting out of connecticut and spending my christmas somewhere warm and with my mate

[PArms]

Future Christmas...

I think I will completely alter this whole "future" thing by going back in time. For my future Christmas, hopefully next year when/if Mommy and I have our own place... I am going to have the traditional little kid Christmas. I have very little baby toys right now, so perhaps she could get a ton of cheap baby toys and wrap them up for me. I can waddle downstairs at 8AM in a sleeper and diaper, wake her up super early all excited. I would sit there and open up all my gifts and talk in a baby voice and forget any worries I had. She would smile and take pictures and probably scrapbook it as "Baby's first Christmas"... and I would give her a small handmade trinket just like a little kid. Of course she would have more presents than my trinket, but I would probably give them to her at midnight (if I am allowed to stay up that late) as not to act too grown up the next day. Then she could dress me up all cute and we could stay inside and watch Christmas specials and have a fancy dinner with just the two of us. She could let me stay up late and sleep with her in her bed.

-Sophie

Sophie, print this out and put it where you will see it every day (not to be found by others except your Mommy). Read it every day and believe that it will happen. One day, it will.

[sarah_ab]

Christmas Past

Best thing about christmas, waking up at 3 am to sneak downstairs and fall asleep on the couch with the tree all lit up and all the presents spread out underneath it. I dont know wht this 8am stuff is, we started opening presents at 6 am in my house!!!

Golden moment.. when i was ten i got a ten speed bicycle for chrismtas, my dad had put it together and there it was, standing up in front of the tree with all the presents behind it. I was so excited, i ran downstairs, and my mum got out the camcorder and said "ok sweety lets see you on your new bike" so i climb on, put the kick stand up, my feet on the peddles. I was smiling so big it hurt, and you can watch on the camera as i almost in slow motion tip over and over and fall onto all of the presents!!!!!! yes i had put the kick stand up and my feet on hte pedals, but tahts all i did!!!! so you see my mum drop the camera and it focuses in on my dad's feet who is sitting in the chair about three feet from me. He's rocking back and forth, doesn't even move to get up and you hear "ohhh someone aught to help her up" and everyone else cracking up in the background... I still laugh so hard whenever i think about that moment!

Christmas Present

This will be my second christmas i will be spending with my boyfriend and his family. I love coming downstairs in the morning to smell the cinamon buns and see the tree all lit up with the gifts underneath and the stockings laid out. We will not be doing anything big for christmas this year, in regards to gifts, because four days later we are leaving to go to disneyworld for ten days, and so we agreed would would get each other something small but we want to save our money for our trip. I just love getting to spend it with myboyfriend

Christmas Yet To Come

Next year my boyfriend and i will hve our own place, which means i can decorate the whole house for christmas. I know later in the day we will go to his parents house for christmas dinner, but in the morning i get to come running ot of hte room in my diapie and footie pj's and get to see what santa has left me, and open presents and play with the wraping paper, and cuddle up with daddy and watch movies all day, and eat candy. Later in the evening we will have friends over either that day, or perhaps on boxing day to have drinks and watch more christmas movies.

[Baby Bethany]

I've just realised that I asked you guys the question, but didn't even answer myself!!

Christmas Past

So many memories. Christmas when me and my brothers were kids, especially when my grandparents were still around. They used to make it magical for us. Laying in bed on Christmas Eve and listening to carol singers, too excited to sleep, but scared to stay awake in case Santa didn't visit. Waking up in the dark on Christmas morning and seeing the presents under the tree. Christmas dinner at my grandparents house, and playing party games in the evening. Going to see the pantomime!!

Also, the Christmas of (I think) 1978 I remember really well. I got a red bike (doesn't sound a big deal, but our usual presents were something like a book, and a scarf or sweater my mum had knitted, things like that.) Anyway I got this red bike, and it was snowing outside. I remember riding the bike in the snow on Christmas morning.

I also remember the Christmas of 1990, because I was staying in New York and went ice skating at the Rockafeller Centre.

Christmas Present

The thing I'm most looking forward to this year will be doing the Christmas cooking. I always do this, and always make my own cake, mince pies, Christmas pudding, and punch. But this year I will be cooking goose and making one of those Victorian puddings that are shaped like a cannonball, complete with the holly on top, and I will cover it in brandy and set fire to it, I use a real Victorian recipe. I've used the same recipe for a few years now, but I've always cooked it in a pudding basin. However, this year I'm going to make the proper round ball in a pudding cloth.

Me and my wife always spend Christmas Day with just the two of us, and then visit our family on Boxing Day.

Christmas Yet To Come

I would love to take my niece and nephew to lapland, you know when you meet Santa and ride in the reindeer sleigh etc. Okay, I admit it, it's just an excuse to visit Santa myself, lol.

I would also love to spend Christmas in Germany. I went to a Christmas fair out there a few years back, would be great to be there on the big day.

All in all, Christmas is by far my favourite time of the year. As some of the others have said, it should be about more than just opening presents. For me it's about revisiting old memories and creating new ones.

Beth

[lil_angel]

Wow, I'm surprised at the split of people who like and don't like christmas. For me, I am one of those people who don't like holidays very much....unless you ask Mommie and she'd say that I don't like holidays until they arrive.

I guess this is accurate. What I dislike is the commercialism of the holidays. Nothing drives me crazier than going to the stores in July and seeing christmas stuff. Geez, why not just leave it out year round.

But come christmas eve day, I really am a kid. That's when I get in the spirit. My favorite thing to do is go out on christmas eve and shop for presents, go home, wrap them while listening to christmas music and put them under the tree.

As a general rule, christmas eve has been the big holiday as that is when I've always done christmas at home (wherever I'm physically living), reserving christmas day for family. In the US, we don't observe boxing day. In fact, I had to take a personal day just to have it off this year, which in my opinion is silly since it's a Friday.

My favorite christmas videos are: 1) Trans Siberian Orchestra's "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve"/"Old Town Bar", 2) "The Grinch that stole Christmas", and 3) "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown"

On to the question at hand....

Christmas Past...

The funniest memory I have was about 6 years ago when I was alone and miserable I went with a friend to an old folks home to give them some christmas cheer. When we arrived, I found that it was a retirement home for Jewish people. Yet, we sang them christmas carols ROFL.

The worst memory was when I was five. I had asked santa for a model train. We were staying at my grandfather's house on christmas eve and I was asleep on the couch. There was a big noise that woke me, and I saw my grandfather putting the train together. That's when I found out about santa and the christmas magic was gone. That along with it being my first christmas since my parents divorced, made it a very bad year.

The best memory is foggy. I know I had some good christmas times prior to turning five. I've seen the pictures and I looked so happy. I just can't remember them. In recent times, for the last 5 years, since I've been with Mommie, it is the 'kid's christmas' that I get to have. Rolling out of bed in my pj's and wondering in to see that in some way, santa still exists in our house....Thank you Mommie!!!!!

Christmas Present...

This is going to be my first year that I will have my son on christmas proper since he was 2 (he is 11 now). I am very excited about that.

Christmas yet to come....

Peace on Earth and good will towards ALL people....is that too cheesy?? I don't care, that is what I want the future to hold for all of us!

[curiositykilledthecat]

I like holidays but don't like relaives. Christmas is so darn bastardize it irritates me. I can't even go into to walmart for groceries without being in line for an hour because people can't figure out that the self checkout is not for $500.00 worth of crap. I think people miss the point of gift giving, but hey it is the one time of the year where people stop being complete assholes for five minutes. Tis the season baby!

[BabyChris121675]

One PHRASE- BAH HUMUG!

I cannot stand the holiday season. I am just probably be alone this Christmas like every Christmas since 1998. I prefer it that way to being on the road in the middle of the night with my sister and brother-in-law as they head back to Ohio from PA following a Christmas Eve mass in Pittsburgh. I would rather be drunk, relaxing with a Need for Speed game than being on the road after working all day long at my job than being in the back of a car at 4am.

I will probably consider a Christmas invite if I get one, as I don't have family anywhere around me, except for a sister I don't talk to cause she ripped me off and I am on a fixed income. So, I'll be alone for the holiday. Christmas SUCKS.

However, I do like to work Christmas Eve because I get to see all the families out there celebrating the holidays before Mass or other Religious services. Last year was special, an old friend of mine from High School was at where I work for a family dinner. He actually came back to the dishroom and wished me a merry Christmas. That made my holiday.

[diaperedandspanked]

It has become a commercialized pain in the butt. Spend a ton of money on presents for people, running all over to do the shopping, hours of putting up decorations....blah, I could live without it.

Christmas past......dad or mom getting drunk, the two of them getting into a physical fight, screaming, yelling, christmas...over, and ruined again.

Christmas Present.....At least I can spend time with my wife, daughters, son-in-laws and have a civilized get together. I personally could care less about the presents and gift giving, but being with family is important.

Christams Future.......who knows, we just hope for the best. Hope we keep our jobs, hope everyone stays healthy. Run the "rat race" to the best of our ability. Be thankful for what we have. The dreams of being independently wealthy is not going to happen so make the best of what you have.

Merry Christmas everyone!

[DiaperBoyKR]

Christmas time is my favorite time of the year. Yes, is it hard to keep the spirit in this day and age when the real meaning of the season has been corrupted and bastardized with commercialism? Yes. I think we would all be better off not giving gifts to each other. This season is supposed to be a time to celebrate the arrival of Christ on Earth, and it is also a time to celebrate the good times we have had with our family. Trust me, given that I've worked retail for the last 5 Christmases, I know how rotten people can be at this time. That said, I still love this season and am always excited for December to roll around

Christmas Past

I always remember decorating the tree with my folks and family. We would always have popcorn popped on the table and eggnog. Dad and I were responsible for setting up the tree itself and putting the lights on (fell to me after Dad left us). This was always a fun time. I used to love making the Christmas cookies and Christmas Eve dinner with my Mom too.

Christmas Present

This year's going to be a little wierd, as I'm so far away from home. I'm going to be spending most of Christmas Eve and Christmas at church. I'm singing in the choir (which I'm essentially leading), and having good fellowship with the other folks at the church. Other than that, nothing much planned although I have 9 days of vacation right after Christmas itself.

Christmas Future

Looking forward to coming home from Korea eventually and spending it with my boyfriend. He's a DL too, so we love spending time together just cuddling in our pjs and diapers. I really want to spend a Christmas just laying on the couch together watching the tree together.

[DailyDi]

Christmas Past:

My favorite memory of Christmas as a kid was always Christmas Eve. We all got to open one present, and every year it was the same thing: New Pajamas to wear on Christmas morning. All the toys and games could never compare to brand new soft and warm jammies

Christmas Present:

No young kids in our family anymore, so Christmas is a little more low key. For us, it's time with family and my regular gift to my immediate family: music. Every year we try to catch a couple of Christmas concerts. This year it's our favorite, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Christmas Future:

Who knows?

[icrinkle]

Christmas Past:

Christmas as a kid was fun. Id visit my nanny and grandads for a whole family get toghether and try a fruit drink mainly for adults at a young age. Also mes around with my cousins and play snooker. Also going to sleep early because santa might come and leave lots of cool new toys. My favorite toy of all was a Master System.

Christmas Present:

Well who knows. Eat more, Get drunk and then fall asleep before fools and horses come on telly lol.

Christmas Future:

Sharing a Christmas with a mommy or a friend.

[diapermommie]

Christmas Past

I loved holidays as a kid. I loved decorating with my mom, going to church with the whole family on Xmas Eve and getting yelled at because my cousin Amy and I couldn't stop giggling. I always loved any present I got. I SO loved being a kid, and if I could, I would love to go back in time and just be a kid for a day. I had a happy childhood, and I thank my parents for that on a regular basis. We always spent XMas Eve at my paternal grandma's house (grandpa died when I was 5) and the entire family would come, aunts, uncles cousins, neighbors, friends. There were so many presents there wasn't any room to sit on the floor. We always sang carols before we could open presents. One year, us grandkids sang "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" Needless to say, grandma wasn't very amused

Last year, I got a DS for my birthday (which is right before XMas) and a bunch of Curious George stuff for Xmas, it was fabulous!

Christmas Present

I'm not quite into the holidays yet, mostly because I hate winter, and nothing here is decorated (at home). But I am glad we don't have to travel this year. It'll be the first Christmas for my husband and I as a married couple, and also the first Christmas for our 10 week old baby. My 2 older kids will be with their dad's family for the holiday, so I'm glad I won't be alone! I'm looking forward to shopping for everyone now that I have my lists done. We always go look at the decorations, that's one thing we enjoy doing every year.

Christmas Future

I would like, one year, to travel with close family to a warm place, and do Christmas as a family vacation instead of present buying. Don't get me wrong, I like presents and I really like to buy them. But I always thought this would be a nice relaxing way to spend the holiday...instead of shopping and dealing with weather and traffic and parking, we could take a plane to somewhere warm and spend the holiday by the ocean. It would also be nice, one year, to get both sides of our families together, at least our parents and siblings. But our parents are 600 miles apart, with us in the middle, my sister is in Portland. Our apartment is far too small to host everyone, so maybe when we buy a house we can host Christmas

[sarah_ab]

so i know i answered but i just wanted to share, since lots of people have commented on the commercialization of holidays...

i dunno how it started, i think mainly because all my friends and i were poor university students when we met.. but now, 6 years later its become a gift giving tradtion, instead of giving each other gifts we make home made cards tailored just for that person.

like my friends know i LOVE macgyver, so everyone year from at least one of them i'll get a home made card that has something to do with him. Its very affordable for our budgets, but it shows we actually listen to our friends, and take the time to create something for them that we know will make then laugh. We dont buy cards at all, all home made. Silly yes, sometimes they are made with crayons and construction paper.. but still its a tradition we all love and plus.. who doesn't enjoy mail?

so perhaps this year start a new tradition with friends and family, it doesn't have to be making cards, but maybe do a secret santa thing where everyone in the family only buys one gift for just one person.. or a yankee gift swap, where everyone brings a gift say for 20-30$...

THe holidays should not be a time when people stress out and worry about making everyone happy by buying the most expensive gift and there are SO MANY great ways to show you care without maxing out the credit cards!

[Baby Bethany]

so i know i answered but i just wanted to share, since lots of people have commented on the commercialization of holidays...

i dunno how it started, i think mainly because all my friends and i were poor university students when we met.. but now, 6 years later its become a gift giving tradtion, instead of giving each other gifts we make home made cards tailored just for that person.

like my friends know i LOVE macgyver, so everyone year from at least one of them i'll get a home made card that has something to do with him. Its very affordable for our budgets, but it shows we actually listen to our friends, and take the time to create something for them that we know will make then laugh. We dont buy cards at all, all home made. Silly yes, sometimes they are made with crayons and construction paper.. but still its a tradition we all love and plus.. who doesn't enjoy mail?

so perhaps this year start a new tradition with friends and family, it doesn't have to be making cards, but maybe do a secret santa thing where everyone in the family only buys one gift for just one person.. or a yankee gift swap, where everyone brings a gift say for 20-30$...

THe holidays should not be a time when people stress out and worry about making everyone happy by buying the most expensive gift and there are SO MANY great ways to show you care without maxing out the credit cards!

Nice one Sarah!!

I agree, to me as an adult the actual presents are one of the least important things. I think that people who are obsessed with buying huge presents are kind of missing the point.

Beth

[lil_angel]

Christmas Present:

No young kids in our family anymore, so Christmas is a little more low key. For us, it's time with family and my regular gift to my immediate family: music. Every year we try to catch a couple of Christmas concerts. This year it's our favorite, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

YAY for TSO...I just wish I could have got tickets this year....they sold out too quick *sigh*....have fun

[Codymoogle]

Christmas Past

Hm, I don't really know, to be honest...Christmases weren't really that special for me...*scratches head*

Christmas Present

Once again, Christmastime isn't that great for me...*shrug* Just spending time with the family I guess...

Christmas Yet To Come

Having Christmas where I actually get what I want, and being happy cause I can spend it with Daddy.

~ moogle

[Bettypooh]

I lived my earlier childhood as a rather spoiled pantswetting brat boy, so Christmas started out meaning getting the one really big toy I asked for that year. After Dad died we became poor and I didn't get much so I hated Christmas As I grew up it meant nothing to me except lots of food and the same old songs I didn't like played over and over until I thought I'd puke. My family grew apart other than being together for the Christmas meal. I was "Bah Humbug" to the Nth degree those days I saw the commercialization of Christmas and began to hate everything to do with Christmas except for family. I guess I'm still like that a bit

Nowdays Christmas means family, winter, and a chance to see the family's children happy with their new toys while us grown-ups have another chance to be together again. The presents I now want can't be purchased and given to me by anyone I know(but you can buy me a nice small house on ten acres if you really want to! ) The most special presents I get are from the children who go out of their way to take the little money they have and do something special just for me like those cute crayon and paper Christmas cards. They come from the heart, a very special thing indeed I have almost everything else I want or need, so now I get the best present of all at Christmas every Christmas-I get to feel the love between all of us up close and personal. We still lead seperated lives but we have a bond that nothing can break That's an always thing, but it feels closer at Christmas than any other of the many times my family comes together and that feeling is priceless to me

Now if only I could get a better handle on my appetite and all that wonderful food that appears at Christmas

Bettypooh

[curiositykilledthecat]

You'll shoot your eye out!!!!

24 hours straight of the best christmas movie ever made, I love Christmas eve!

Sadly christmas is a reminder that I'm a couple if cousins sleeping together away from being on jerry springer. Relatives are a constant bringer of humility